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Eaken
Eaken the Unyielding was born Eaken Redclaw and It was a short five years from his ascent into adulthood that he had unified the tribes of the Orcs of V'yanoor. He sought the wisdom of a Guru of the Jade city and learned a terrible truth. His people would be doomed to their state as mongrels, barbarians and raiders for all time. Tales abound of what lead this Orc to greatness. His legacy is that of myth and legend. His blade, Frenzy's Edge, is regarded as impossible to duplicate. Rumor persists that Eaken left several heirs but refused to acknowledge them as he expected any of his descendants to prove their worth rather than inherit it. Eaken's disappearance is just as mysterious as his Silence. Some say that Gruumsh returned for him, claiming him as a general in his armies. Others say that one of his descendants returned to prove his worth to Eaken himself. Whatever the case is, Eaken remains one of the great mysteries of V'yanoor. Legend of Eaken the Unyielding ''"Headin' north, folks? Got yourself some pretty dames in your group, that might be a bad idea. Might want to seek your fortunes elsewhere... Ha! You think you're hard? Never met the Unyielding, huh? You don't know who the Unyielding are?! Eaken the Unyielding? The Onyx Throne? Where in the Seven Hells are you people from? Maeron?! If you've got the coin and care to hear the tale, I'll gladly tell it..." "Let me finish my ale here... where was I? Ah yes, Eaken the Unyielding, Keeper of the Onyx Throne, Slayer of the Dragon Rabindra'ath, Conqueror of the Eleven Tribes, From Whom the Aurichalcum Flows, Elvenbane, and Scourge of the Ivory City. It's said that Eaken was the middle of 5 brothers, each uglier and more violent than the last, but Eaken was different. He had that low cunning, see... If he couldn't outmuscle his brothers, he outthought them. Soon enough, he was the head of his house and leader of his tribe, through brains and brawn. But ya see, Eaken was an Orc of destiny. He believed it and made his brothers believe it. He knew what we all knew about Orcs. They're savage, disgusting, violent creatures who are happiest when smashing someone's skull. But Eaken claimed he knew something else. He said if they couldn't overcome their nature, he'd break their nature. That's how cocky he was. Break the nature of orcs. Think about that for a second. Crazy, huh? Well, he actually did it. Him and his brothers had already conquered their own tribe. So much so, it was said not one of their number would ever betray Eaken. Not because they feared, because they sure as shit feared him, but they believed in him. Respected him. Little by little, the scattered Orcish tribes began to disappear. He smashed them apart. The conquered men, he killed. The boys, he kept. The women? He seperated them and married them to his own men, his own tribes, his own brothers. But even that hardiest Orc only lives a few years... you know how I said Eaken was an Orc of Destiny... his finest hour was yet to come..." "... Oh, you're waiting for me to tell you? *ahem* My mug is dry and my lips are parched... That's a good lass... So, Eaken the Unyielding, Keeper of the Ony... I said that? Where was I? Orc of Destiny? Right, right! The Eleven Tribes existed now in name only. He'd managed to break most of them, but instead of being scattered bands of filthy orcs, now they were one big fist of filthy fucking orcs. They're building this ramshackle fortress one day, when the skies darkened at high noon. Work stopped. Then the skies went from pitch black to being on fire. Literally. The skies were on fire. The orcs didn't know what to do. It was the end of the world... Well, their world anyway. Only Eaken's will kept them from running... and then it happened. Destiny. In the form of a giant rock. What? Yes. Yes, I am serious. A giant rock descended from the heavens and changed their world forever... No, they didn't die... They... oh, look at that... I'm out of ale again..." "You guys are learning! Two at a time! So this rock falls cracks open. This black and bronzish ooze comes out of this thing and orcs are snarling and snapping, not knowing what the hell to do. They touch it and burns them. Not to mention, the rock slamming down and oozing everywhere has completely obliterated the walls of their fortress. Everyone looks to Eaken. They says he started to glow brighter and brighter as he got closer. He strides right through the burning flows and walks right up to the rock and sits right down on it. And in a bellowing voice he cries out loud enough and clear enough. It's said that old, young, deaf, and dumb all understood him for one moment... 'Do you not see? Our old ways have crumbled like the walls of our fortress. Our destinies, our lives, our way of life... it is broken. It all begins again. Here. Now. I will build our foundation and from it, we will rise. We will take the place that no one ever thought we could have. Our fate is made: Let us mold it into something great.' Sure as shit, all the craftsmen and Eaken himself built a throne on that very spot. They went into the volcanic mountains and came back with the darkest onyx and built a throne right on the spot. Damned if it isn't one of scariest things ever seen. They say it is soaked through with Eaken's own blood..." "Give me a second, just switching mugs here... So, the ooze, right? That stuff is called Aurichalcum and man, it sure is something. The stuff flows all throughout the place. They literally built around it. Turns out they use it in alchemy. So much so, that around the Onyx Throne is the Alchemist's Guild. That's their city center. The alchemists literally walk out and gather whatever they need. And it's not just the alchemists. Put a chicken in a stone crock and drop it in one of the nearby rivulets; come back in a few and damned if that bird ain't cooked. Blacksmiths forge their blades in it. There's all sorts of legends about it. They say that it's fueled by the souls of outsiders. They say that when an orc can no longer fight, he or she willingly gives themselves over to the Aurichalcum Flow. Some of the more crazy orcs jump in where its real deep and see how long they can stand the heat. Ain't real long, let me tell you. Only one who could stand it was Eaken, and it's not like it didn't get him. He's still got the scars. But it must've done something to him, because Eaken wasn't just any orc. That stuff was part of him. Legends say that the rock was waiting for him to be ready for its bounty. He built that city from the smallest stone to the tallest tower: He hammered right alongside the workers building that place from the ground up. Eaken didn't rest until he thought he was done. Let me tell you something: Orcs don't live long. Don't know if it's because they kill each other or they just don't last, but the oldest Orc I ever saw said he was 40. Generations of orcs knew Eaken. Generations looked up to him. That's not to say it was easy for him. Orcs are orcs. No matter what he did, there was always an uppity orc looking to make a name for himself and take over some shit. And lots tried. All failed. Didn't matter if they challenged him one on one or managed to get some soldiers together... After Eaken beat them, he struck their names from record and killed anyone who took up arms against him. He killed their parents and their children. Didn't matter. Eaken's way meant order. He made laws. He made a military. Broke the law? You paid, your family paid. That was the way. No exceptions were made. He even executed one his own grandsons. Personally. Just to show he wasn't exempt. Eaken did exactly what he said he'd do. He broke his own people just so he could make them into something better. And then he sat down..." "What do you mean it can't end like that? That's exactly what he did! Oh, you want me to elaborate... well, elaboration tak... ah, look at that. Another ale. This girl here is brighter than the rest of you lot... Ah, right. I told you how Eaken lived for generations. Lived way longer than any orc had a right to. He's still alive to this day, as a matter of fact. It's said he rises up when needed. Don't look at me like that, it's absolutely true. Give me a second to get comfortable... Anyway, when Eaken's city... Ki'rth Adahn... was built, his laws obeyed, and his people prospering, he decided he could rest. But Eaken wasn't content to step aside. He gathered everyone in front of the Onyx Throne. Everyone. The whole town. The old and babes alike. Eaken turned to his right hand man, Tithor Rustblade, and told him to run things the way that Eaken expected them to run. Then he told them he would always be watching and woe be to whomever threatened his vision. He dismissed everyone and then he sat upon the Onyx Throne and closed his eyes... and that was it. What? No, he's alive. Really. I saw the man with my own eyes. How? It was a really good disguise. Don't believe me? Ever heard of the Dragon Rabindra'ath? Well, Eaken's Elite Guard are wearing pieces of him right now. C'mon now, you should know the price..." "Rabindra'ath was a black dragon. He figured, he's an onyx colored dragon, why not take the Onyx Throne? This was decades after Eaken's Silence. What could a couple of orcs, even alchemists, do to stop him? Well, when he stormed down in the center of Ki'rth Adahn, he melted a few dozen people with his acid breath and stated his demands. Sure enough, the current king said no and was promptly melted. No one heard what his successor was going to say because he was drowned out by a deafening roar. It wasn't the dragon. It was Eaken. He had arisen from his throne with Frenzy's Edge in hand. The battle raged for days, but Eaken was not to be denied. After he slew Rabindra'ath, he had his craftsmen go to work on the body. Without another word, Eaken strode right back to the Onyx Throne, sat down, and began his Silence again. And it wasn't just external threats that could awaken Eaken. Down the line of the city's rulers, one of them decided that he wanted to change the laws. There is a reason why Eaken was named Eaken the Unyielding. He slew the city's ruler in front of the army. The newly deposed ruler's family was spared only because they believed that he should have stayed true to Eaken's Vision. Eaken assigned a new ruler and once again returned to his Silence. There are scrolls that are kept that supposedly say when Eaken will end his silence for good, but no one's seen them." "Tales abound about other times Eaken has left his Silence. They say that followers of Gruumsh said that Eaken was an abomination and needed to be eradicated... they charged the Onyx Throne... only to find it empty. The doors closed behind them and then... well, sometimes, when it's real quiet in the throne room, if you listen real good... you can hear their unanswered prayers... Hell, it's said that Gruumsh One-Eye himself appeared at the gates of the city to challenge Eaken. Even Eaken didn't keep Gruumsh waiting long. Legend says that they stared at each other for days, eyes locked... before they each turned and walked away... A sign of respect from true warriors that few in those parts had ever seen." "Wanna hear how Eaken forged Frenzy's Edge? Ha! Dry lips tell poor tales, my friends!"